A fire that broke out at an apartment house in Kobe City, western Japan early Sunday claimed the lives of four men between the ages of 77 and 86.
A resident said many of those occupying the five square-meter rooms were elderly people who lived alone. Many of those living on the first floor were people with disabilities, including some using wheelchairs.
Japan’s health ministry said Thursday those at low risk of developing serious coronavirus symptoms will be encouraged to use at-home test kits and online medical services this winter, when COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are expected to spread simultaneously.
The measures, which assume a peak of 750,000 cases per day, seek to lessen the burden on hospitals and prioritize medical care for the elderly amid warnings of another surge of viruses during the upcoming colder months.
The estimated number of people aged 65 or older in Japan stood at a record high of 36.27 million as of Thursday, rising by 60,000 from a year before and accounting for 29.1 pct of the nation’s total population, also the highest ever, the internal affairs ministry said.
A Japanese health ministry panel decided Friday 2nd September that elderly people will be the first to receive improved COVID-19 vaccines effective against omicron variants in the fourth round of vaccinations.
About 60% of local governments nationwide do not disclose information about fatal accidents reported by nursing homes and other elderly facilities, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
The Japanese government plans to launch a system by the end of fiscal 2022 to have over 20,000 personnel help elderly people with their smartphones and other digital devices, it was learned Wednesday.
People aged 60 and older as well as individuals between 18 and 59 with chronic health conditions or at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms if infected with the coronavirus will be eligible for the second booster shots, starting Wednesday.
Japan is considering making the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions eligible for fourth coronavirus vaccine shots, in line with recommendations by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, government sources said Tuesday.
Some 8.7% and 8% of children said they were looking after their parents because of their mental disorder or physical disability, respectively.
The Japanese government Friday adopted a bill to revise the road traffic law to realize mobility services with Level 4 autonomy, which does not require a driver in the vehicle.
Barrier Free Japan